Washing-machine agitator



H. S. LABISKY WASHING MACHINE AGITATOR March 6, 1928.. 1,661,763

Filed Sept. 15, 1927 INVENTOR Patented Mar. 6, 19 28. V

UNITED [STATES 1,661,763 PATENT cruel-1.;

HENRY S. LABISKY. 0E SEATTLE, WASHINGTON.

' wasnmo-macn'mn Aerm'ron- Application filed September 15, 1927. Serial No. 219,618.

washing machine agitator having auxiliary vane sections that may be attached to the usual vanes to increase the effective area of said vanes and cause them to agitate the water more, violently.

Other and more specific objects will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

One well known type of washing machine agitator which is ordinarily mounted for oscillation in the bottom of a washing machine tub has upright radial vanes that impart theagitation to the water. -The efiiciency of this type of agitator in imparting agitation to the water in the tub depends, within certain limits, on the height and size of the vanes, the higher vanes imparting a greater agitation. More violent water agitation removes the dirt from clothes more quickly and more efiiciently but too violent agitation is objectionable because it is hard on the clothes and subjects them to more wear than a lesser degree of agitation. The average family washing is liable to include a wide range of articles varying from the lightest of delicate fabrics to heavy coarse, dirty working and childrens clothes. For this reason the usual washing machine agitator must be desi ed so that it will not seriously injure the llghter clothes and yet, will afford sufiicient agitationto wash the heavier ones. This ne essitates the provision of agitator vanes that are so deep as to be needlessly rough on the lighter clothes and yet are too shallow for the most efiicient washing of the heavier clothes. In

accordance with my invention .1 make. the usual agitator vanesof the correct depth for the lighter clothes and provide auxiliary or extension vanes for quick and easy attachment to the agitator vanes to increase their effective height and produce a more violent agitation of the water for heavier work.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a top plan view of a washing machine agitator having my auxiliary vanes installed thereon.

Fig. 2 is an elevation of the same showing parts broken away.

Fig. 3 is a detached perspective of one of the auxiliary vanes. Fig. 4 is a detached perspective of a fragment of an agitator upon which my auxiliary -vanes may be installed.

Fig 5 is a plan view of a duplex auxiliary vane.

Fig. 6 is a u side elevation showin the duplex vanes and an agitator on wh1ch-it may be used.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a modified form of auxiliary vane.

Like reference numerals designate like parts throughout the several views.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive, I a washing machine agitator ofwell known form comprising a disc like base 8 having a centrally arranged upright post 9 and .provided with a plurality, of radial vanes 10. I show four vanes 10 but it will be understood that any desired number of vanes, one

.or more, may be used. The parts 8, 9 and 80 10 are preferably "of integral construction.- The posts 9 is usually unobstructed at the top, the agitator being driven from below.

In accordance with my invention I provide one or more auxiliary vanes 11 that are adapted to be secured on the agitator vanes 10 so as to extend upwardly therefrom and cooperate therewith to form vanes of greater height and area which are capableof agitating the water more violently for any given speed of the agitator.- The auxiliary vanes 11 may be secured to the agitator in many different ways. In Figs. 1 to 4 I show the agitator. vanes 10 slotted as at 12 to receive the thinner auxiliary vanes 11. In this construction the post 9 is grooved above the slots 11 as at 13 to receive the inclined ends of the auxiliary vanes 11 and to receive upright lugs 14 on the ends of said auxiliary vanes. A ring 15 vertically movable on the post 8 is adapted to fit over the lugs 14.. The auxiliary vanes llare thus adapted to be completely housed within the slots 12 in the agitator vanes as shown at the right inlFig. 2, or to be raised as shown at 1 raised and lowered and need never be show entirely separated from the agitator. One or more of the auxiliary vanes may be used.

Fig. 7 shows a completely detachable auxiliary vane 16 having an eye 17 on its inner end adapted to fit over the post of an agitator and having two lugs 18 toward its outer end adapted to straddle the upper edge of an agitator vane on which said auxiliary vane may rest. This construction obviates grooving the agitator post and slotting the agitator vanes as disclosed in Figs. 1 to 4.

In Figs. 5 and 6 I shtw duplex auxiliary vanes 19 and 20 integrally connected by an eye 21 adapted to fit over the posts 22 of an agitator 23. Dowel pins 24 on the auxiliary vanes 19 and 20 are adapted to fit within holes 25 in the vanes 26 of the agitator 23 to secure the duplex auxiliary vane member in place. Obviously three, four, or more vanes may be provided on the auxiliary vane member if desired.

In the course of a washing the operator of the washin machine may employ the usual agitator %or the washing of the more delicate clothes and may quickly and easily apply one or more of the auxiliary vanes w en dirtier and coarser clothes are to be washed and more violent agitation of the panying drawings clearly disclose certain preferred embodiments of my invention but it will be understood that these disclosures are merely illustrative and that changes of construction may be made within the scope and spirit of the following claims.

I claim:

1. The combination with a washing machine agitator having the usual vanes, of a separable auxiliary vane arranged to serve as an extension above the top of one of the usual vanes.

2. The combination with a washing machine agitator having normally vertical vanes of auxiliary vanes readily detached and attachable relative to said agitator and adapted to serve as extensions above the agitator vanes.

3. The combination with a washing machine agitator embod ing an upright post having radially exten ing normally vertical vanes of an auxiliary vane member arranged to project above the top edge of one of said radial vanes and means for securing said auxiliary vanes against displacement relative to said radial vane.

4. The combination with a washing machine agitator embodying an upright post having the usual vanes that extend outwardly therefrom, of detachable auxiliary vanes arranged to extend upwardly from the top edges of said usual vanes, means connecting said auxiliary vanes with said post and means interconnecting said auxiliary vanes and said usual vanes to prevent relative sidewise displacement thereof.

5. The apparatus as described in claim 4 in which the means connecting the auxiliary vanes to the post includes a ring member adapted to fit. over said post.

6. The combination with a washing machine agitator having a central post and having u right vanes that extend outwardly from said post, said vanes being slotted, of auxiliary vanes adapted to be housed within the slots in said upright vanes and means for securing said auxiliary vanes in a raised position relative to said u right vanes.

.7'. The combination wit a washing machine agitator embodying a disc like base having a centrally arranged upright post and having normally vertical vanes extending outwardly from said post, said vanes having slots therein and said post having vertical grooves extending upwardly from the points where said vanes intersect the same and afi'ording inclined walls, of auxiliary vanes arranged to fit within the grooves in said agitator vanes, upwardly extending lugs on the inner ends of said auxiliary vanes and adapted to fit within the grooves in said post and having inclined ends cooperating with the inclined walls of said grooves and a ring slidable on said post andarranged to fit over said lugs to hold said auxiliary vanes in elevated position, said auxiliary vanes being housed within the slots in said agitator vanes when lowered.

The foregoing specification signed at Seattle, Washington, August 24th. 1927.

HENRY S. LABISKY. 

